When people think of cancer treatment, chemotherapy, radiation and prescriptions come to mind. For naturopathic physician Shauna Birdsall, an integrated approach in the form of acupuncture, nutritional diets and exercise comes to mind. The director of naturopathotic medicine at Cancer Treatment Centers of America at Western Regional Medical Center in Arizona believes in working together with traditional oncologists and conventional treatments for better patient care. Dr. Birdsall, a graduate of the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, spoke at the Oregon Association of Naturopathic Physicians in Portland on Tuesday She also spoke to The Oregonian. Her remarks were edited for brevity.

What is the evidence that naturopathic medicine benefits cancer patients?

SB: There are a couple of reasons. First, we know from studies that cancer patients are frequently taking supplements, using special diets and trying complimentary and alternative medicine. In these studies, 40 to 50 percent of patients said they weren’t talking to a physician about any of these supplements. Naturopathic physicians act as a resource to patients in order to make sure they’re not taking supplements that will interfere with their chemotherapy.

How do you combine naturopathic care with conventional oncology?

SB: We aim to support patients as far as quality of life and also help manage side effects. What’s really important about co-managing patients is that we’re not interfering with their conventional treatment. We’re always looking at the medication they’re taking and at their radiation treatment and reviewing them to make sure there’s no interference. For example, people frequently take a supplement called St. John’s wort for depression, which is something many cancer patients struggle with. They buy it in health food stores and take it on their own. But it’s estimated to interfere with 80 percent of medications as well as with chemotherapy treatment. Naturopathic doctors are here to ensure patients aren’t taking anything that will harm treatment.

What do you find are some of the greater misconceptions that people have about naturopathology?

SB: One is that because something is natural, it’s safe. In reality a lot of natural compounds are very toxic and may cause more harm than good. Another misconception is there are natural therapies out there that by themselves can replace conventional treatment. Naturopathic medicine can support patients but cannot support conventional cancer treatment on its own.

What percentage of patients at Cancer Treatment Centers of America seek or receive naturopathic care?

SB: One hundred percent of patients at Cancer Treatment Centers of America receive naturopathic care. We made the decision that all patients would be under the care of an oncologist, a dietician, and a naturopathic doctor to make sure the patient is receiving integrative, holistic care.

How is the appeal or popularity changing?

SB: As patients become familiar with naturopathic medicine and realize doctors are a resource for finding out what medicines can help, more patients are turning to it. We’ve been treating cancer this way for nearly 30 years.

Talk to me about the relationship between conventional oncologists and naturopathic physicians.

SB: It can be challenging. Medical oncologists have had bad experiences with practitioners of alternative medicine. People who practice natural medicine have likewise had bad experiences with medical doctors. It’s partly because of a lack of communication. It’s challenging when patients are under the care of a medical oncologist and under the care of a naturopathic doctor located somewhere else and they’re not having direct communication. I think it’s important to treat the whole person and to consider using both natural medicine with conventional medicine.